Extension to Copper Cutbacks

BHP Billiton Limited
04 December 2002

     BHP Billiton Limited is issuing this announcement to fulfil disclosure
  obligations arising from its secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange.

    The text of this release is identical to that issued by BHP Billiton Plc
                                    earlier.


4 December 2002
Number: 59/02

              BHP BILLITON ANNOUNCES EXTENSION TO COPPER CUTBACKS

BHP Billiton Base Metals today announced it would continue its program of
demand-based production originally announced by the Group in November 2001.
During calendar year 2003, BHP Billiton will target an annualized production
rate of 1.05 million metric tonnes of copper at its Escondida mine (150 000
tonnes of cathode and 900 000 tonnes of copper contained in concentrate), and 34
000 tonnes of cathode at its Tintaya mine. The company will continue to maintain
its Pinto Valley and Robinson mines in the Southwest United States on standby
status. As a consequence, BHP Billiton will produce 390 000 tonnes of copper
(305 000 tonnes BHP Billiton share) below installed capacity in calendar year
2003 on an annualized basis. Production from the Company's other copper mines
will not be affected at this time.

Brad Mills, President BHP Billiton Base Metals said, 'Due to continuing weakness
in demand in the US and Europe, BHP Billiton will continue with its 'production
to demand' program. With copper inventories of nearly 1.4 million tonnes of
metal in LME/Comex/Shanghai warehouses, we believe it is prudent for us to
operate at less than our full capacity at this time.'

The constrained production program will include:

  • An annualized reduction of 200 000 tonnes (115 000 tonnes BHP Billiton
    share) to installed capacity at the Escondida mine in Chile. Following the
    completion of the Phase IV expansion in October, installed design capacity
    has increased to a total of 1.25 million tonnes per annum of copper
    contained in concentrate and cathode. During calendar year 2003, the
    Escondida mine will operate at an annual rate of 1.05 million tonnes of
    copper contained in concentrate and cathode. The reduced production will be
    achieved through a combination of lower grade ore processing and maintenance
    shutdowns at the older Los Colorados mill and concentrator facility.
    Escondida is scheduled to produce approximately 760 000 tonnes of copper in
    concentrate and cathode in calendar year 2002.

  • An annualized reduction of 90 000 tonnes to capacity at the Tintaya mine
    in Peru. BHP Billiton will maintain its Tintaya copper sulphide operations
    on standby at least through the first half of 2003. The Tintaya Oxide
    operation will continue to operate at its installed designed capacity of 34
    000 tonnes of copper cathode per year. Tintaya did not produce any copper in
    concentrate during calendar year 2002.

  • BHP Billiton's Pinto Valley and Robinson operations in the Southwest
    United States will remain on standby through the end of calendar year 2003.
    These operations represent 100 000 tonnes of idled copper capacity. Pinto
    Valley and Robinson did not produce any copper in concentrate in calendar
    year 2002. As in 2002, the Pinto Valley operation is scheduled to produce 10
    000 tonnes of copper cathode in 2003 from its SX-EW operations.

BHP Billiton will review the market demand for copper in six months time and
reassess our production targets at that time.
Further information can be found on our Internet site:http://www.bhpbilliton.com


Australia                                                   United Kingdom
Andrew Nairn, Investor Relations                            Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media Relations
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Tracey Whitehead, Media Relations                           South Africa
Tel: [phone] Mobile: [phone]                Michael Campbell, Investor & Media Relations
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                                                            email: [e-mail]
United States
Francis McAllister, Investor Relations
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email: [e-mail]




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